Self-adjusting valve lifter



1,623,506 April 5 1927. J; THOMAS I SELF ADJUSTING VALVE LIFTER FiledSent. 19, 1925 nvcul'or I an; Ap 5,1921- rml'rno STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

BENIAHIN 3'. THOMAS, OI BHAHOKIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

snLr-anws'rme 'vanvn Lmna.

Application filed September 19, 1925. Serial No. 57 ,430.

This invention relates to improvements in is to provide a valveactuating mechanism which will be self adjustable and which will furthereliminate any clearance between the lower end of the stem of areciprocating valve and the push rod or tappet which is interposedbetween the lower endv of the valve stem and the cam for actuating thesame which ismounted on the usual cam shaft. VA further object is toprovide a self ad- 'usting Valve lifter which will at all times bepositive and eflicientin its operation, the same being further of suchconstruction as to permit the same to be readily assembled.

A further object isto provide a self adjusting valve lifter wherein thesame includes a cy inder having its lower end closed to provid a liquidreceiving magazine, a plunger ggoeing adapted for reclprocatory mov'eme'in the upper portion of the cylinder, the plunger including a piston forcooperation with a fluid in the cyllnder, resilient means beingassociated with the cylinder and the plunger for holdingthe upper end ofthe plunger in engagement with the lower end of the valve stem atalltimes so that clearance between the lower end of the stem and theplunger will not occur and thus render the operation of the valveactuating mechanism noiseless.

A still further object is to provide a device of the abovementionedicharacter which is simple in construction, I inexpensive, andfurthermore adapted to the purposes for which the same is designed.

Other objects and advantages of this in-" vention will become apparentduring the course of the following description. I

' In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the self adjusting valve lifterembodying my invention showing the manner in which the same isassociated with the valve stem, and the actuating cam mounted on theusual cam shaft. I l a Fig. '2 is a detail front elevation 01' theplunger, and

Fig. 3 1s a similar view of the reciprocatr ing cylinder. Y v

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown thepreferredembodiment of my invention, the numeral 1.

designatespne of the valves which are associated with an internalcombustion engine of any well known type, the stem for said valve beingillustrated at 2. The usual coiled spring which encircles the valve stemfor normally holding the valve in a seated or closed position isillustrated at 3.

Extending vertically through a suitable opening provided therefor in thetop wall of the crank case of the internal combustion engine is theguide sleeve 4. An annular flange 5 is formed on the outer face of theflange is adapted to rest on the top wall of the crankcase in a manneras clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Adapted for reciprocatory movement within the guide sleeve is thecylinder designated generally by the numeral 6. A lower portion of thecylinder is closed as indicated at 7, whereby a liquid receivin chamberis provided in the upper portion 0% the cylinder and its purpose will behereinafter .more fully described. The lower closed end of the cylinderis bifurcated as illustrated at 9 and rotatably supported in thisbifurcation is the roller 10, the same being adaptedfor engagement withthe cam 11 which is secured on the usual cam shaft 12 in the manner wellknown 'in the art. The shaft which supports the roller 10 isillustratedat 13 and this shaft extends transversely through the bifurcated lowerportion of the cylinderetl at such a point as to cause a portion of theroller 10 to be disposed below the lower end of the cylinder.

lower portion of the guide sleeve and this liiill formed by the reducedportion of the cylinder for engagement with the lower end of the valvestem 2. A collar flange 18 is formed on the upper portion of the plunger1'6 adjacent the reduced portion or head 17 The lower portion of theplunger 16 is hollow as indicated at 19 and the lower end of the plungeris provided with an enlarged internally threaded bore for rece1 v1n theflanged nut 20, the latter being provided with a central bore 21.

The lower end of the bore 21 PI'OVldGS a valve seat 22 for cooperationwith the valve 23, the valve stem 24 thereof extending upwardly throughthe bore 21 of the nut 20 and through a suitable guide 25 providedtherefor in the upper portion of the bore of the nut. The upper end of.the valve steni 24 extends into the bore 19 of the plunger 16 and forthe purpose of normaly holding the valve 23 seated aga nst the valveseat 22, a coiled spring 26 encircles the upper portion of the valvestem and 1s disposed between the top of the guide 25 and a suitable pin27 which extends transversely through the upper end of the valv e stem.This is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The valve 23 is provided with a bleed o ening 28 and the guide 25provided for t 1e valve stem 24 is also provided with openings 29whereby communication between the bore 19 and the bore 21 with thechamber 8 is provided. By connecting the nut 20 with the lower end ofthe plunger 16 in the manner as heretofore described, the same may bereadily attached or detached without any difiiculty.

A piston ring 30 is carried by the lower portion .of the plunger 16 andthe flanged nut 20 cooperates with the enlargement 31 insecuring thepiston ring 30 in position on the lower portion of the plunger, thispiston ring being adapted for engagement with the inner wall ofthechamber or reduced portion of the cylinder. The plunger 16 is furtherprovided with liquid outlet openings 32 in the lower portion thereof ata point above the enlargement 31 and the purpose thereof will bepresently apparent.

These openings communicate with the bore or passage 19 as shown inFig. 1. The plunger is further provided with an air passage 33'whichpassage extends from the side of the upper portion of the plunger andcommunicates with the bore 19. An additional packing ring 34 may becarried by the upper portion of the plunger. in the manner as clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A coiled spring 35 encircles the reduced portion 14 of the cylinder 6,the lower end of the coiled spring engaging the shoulder 15 while theupper end of the spring is in engagement with the collar or shoulder 18formed on the upper portion of the plunger 16. The coiled spring isfurther adapted to engage the inner wall of the upper portion of theguide sleeve 4. This coiled spring is provided for normally holding theplunger in its uppermost position so that the lower end of the valvestem 2 will raise the latter so as to open or unseat the valve 1. Duringthe upward sliding movement of the cylinder and the plunger, 2. uantityofthe liquid in the chamber 8 will escape out through the bleed opening28 in the valve 23 and through the openings 29 provided in the guide 25into the bore 19 and into the upper portion of the cylinder through themedium of the outlet openings As the valve 1 returns to its closed orseated position, the plunger 16 will also move downwardly against thepressure of the coiled spring 35 and the cylinder 6 will also movedownwardly in the guide sleeve 4. During the downward sliding movementof the plunger and cylinder, the suction created in the bottom of thechamber will effect the opening of the valve 23 so that the glycerine orother liquid used will return to the chamber from the upper portion ofthe cylinder. The packing rings 30 and 34 will prevent any leakage ofthe liquid from the cylinder or chamber. i

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a valveactuating mechanism has been provided which will at all times bepositive and efficient as well as self adjustable and will therebyeliminate the usual clicking noise between the lower end of the valvestem and the tappet such as occurs with the tappet now generally in useupon internal combustion engines.

After a self adjusting valve litter of the character embodied in myinvention has been installed, further attention to the valve actuatingmechanism will be unnecessary and the valve will be opened and closedsilently, The simplicity in which my improved device is constructedenables the same to be readily and easily assembled 0r disassembled.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing an of the advantages of the appended c aim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is Incombination, in a self-adjusting valve lifter with a spring pressedvalve and its stern, and an actuating means, of a reciproeating cylinderinterposed between the stem and said actuating means, a guide sleevetherefor, the lower portion of the cylinder beingclosed and providing aliquid receiving chamber, a reciprocatory plunger arranged in the upperportion of the cylinder, the upper end of the plunger having a headformed thereon adapted for engagement with the lower end of the valvestem, the lower portion of the plunger extending downwardly into theliquid contained in the chamber, said plunger having a vertical bore,the lower end thereof communicating with the chamber the lower portionof said bore being enlarged and internally threaded, a flanged nutthreaded in the threaded portion of'said bore, said nut being providedwith a central bore adapted for registry with the aforementioned bore,and theilower portion of the bore formed in said nut providing a valveseat, a valve cooperating-with said bores, means for normally maintamingthe valve in a closed position in engagement. with said seat, the lowerportion of the plunger being provided with openings in.

the sides thereof whichcommunicate with the bore and a coil springencircling -the 7 BENJAMIN J. THOMAS.

